乾杯
THE ULTIMATE JAPANESE EDITION: • A GUIDE TO SAKE • SEASONAL JAPANESE COCKTAILS • IZAKAYAS IN AUSTRALIA • MEET A SAKE SAMURAI
CRUSHING IT AUSTRALIA’S CRAFTY CIDER MAKERS
MAKING THEIR OWN WOMEN IN CIDER, SAKE, WINE AND RUM
50 SHADES OF RED WINES FOR AUTUMN $5.99 (INC. GST)
DISCOVER VICTORIA’S HIDDEN WINE REGION
D R I N K S • T R E N D S • T R AV E L • B A R S • E N T E R TA I N I N G • M E E T
CONTENTS
MEET 18 Yukino Ochiai 26 Shota Sato and Luke Hanzlicek 37 Olivier Monin 50 Melissa Fettke
TRENDS
62 Samantha Payne 74 Joy Spence
6 On-Trend 64 Kombucha
VISIT
78 Social Media
10 Japanese Sake
DRINKS
20 Osaka Trading Co. 58 Moorabool Valley
8 Editor’s Picks 68 Sake Bars 16 Sake Recommendations
2 exploredrinks.com
28 Japanese Cocktail Recipes
ENTERTAINING
38 Cider
76 Gifts & Gadgets
52 Autumn Red Wines
80 Last Drinks
WELCOME
We love autumn here at explore DRINKS. In fact, we love any change in season, inviting a new focus on ingredients and colours in our drinks, food, at home and out and about. Autumn is particularly exciting though; after those long, unabating hot summer days, it’s a relief to feel the temperature drop and start spending time, guiltfree, catching up on the things we love at home – trying new recipes in the kitchen and catching up with friends and family. One country that has built its cuisine around the seasons, and the theme of this issue if you haven’t already guessed it - is Japan. Both in drinks and dishes, Japanese people will use seasonal ingredients wherever possible, inviting a discovery of new flavours all the time. You can find some of these in our Japanese cocktail recipes starting on page 28. Editor Hannah Sparks visited this mesmerising country in February, which is also winter, when production of its iconic rice beverage, sake, is at its busiest. We couldn’t wait to share her magical journey of this ancient world and tipple with you, starting on page 10. As we mentioned, we love kicking back and staying local in autumn and that’s why we’ve gone no further afield than Australia for our travel bars. Staying in theme, we explore the burgeoning number of Japan's izakaya bars that have made it down-under. Check out our venue in focus, Osaka Trading Co., on page 20 and all the others on page 68 onwards.
Another focus in this issue is women. Thankfully, industries like wine, cider and spirits are seeing more women get involved, but that hasn’t always been the case. We celebrate and discover the stories of Yukino Ochiai (our very own Sake Samurai p. 18), Melissa Fettke (cider maker p. 50), Samantha Payne (sommelier p.62) and Joy Spence (rum Master Blender p.74). A drink that’s trending right now is kombucha. We love it but we're still a little confused about exactly what it is. So, we sent Associate Editor Stephanie Aikins off on a quest to meet the couples and friends making their own here and to find out just what this delicious drink is all about. The ever-entertaining Ben Canaider turns our pages 50 shades of red with his run-down on red wines to drink this autumn on page 52. And if you keep reading, you’ll stumble across Victoria’s secret wine region on page 58. We’ve also got the in-cider (pun intended) on cider makers crafting delicious drops from local apples on page 38 onwards. Can't wait for the next issue? Don't forget there's more online at www.exploredrinks.com Cheers, or should I say, kampai!
Ash
exploredrinks.com 3
CREDITS
EDITORIAL Publishing Editor | Ashley Pini ashley@hipmedia.com.au Editor | Hannah Sparks hannah@hipmedia.com.au
ADMINISTRATION Accountant | Melinda Virgona PHOTOGRAPHY Ryan Stuart
Production Manager | Sasha Falloon
CONTRIBUTORS Cider | Max Allen Wine | Ben Canaider Wine | Kirstie Bedford
DESIGN Senior Designer | Racs Salcedo
DRINKS Drinks Curator | Ben Davidson
Associate Editor | Stephanie Aikins stephanie@hipmedia.com.au
SALES I ADVERTISING National Sales Manager I Tim Ludlow Sales Manager I Daire Dalton
explore Drinks is published by Hip Media
169 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point, NSW 2060 Ph: 02 9492 7999 www hipmedia.com.au ABN: 42 126 291 914
Other explore titles include: explore Whisk(e)y explore Rum explore Gin, Tequila & Vodka explore Beer explore Cider explore Champagne & Sparkling explore Wine explore Cocktails To order your copy of explore visit:
The views expressed in explore DRINKS are of the respective contributors and are not necessarily those of the magazine or Hip Media. Copyright is held by Hip Media and reproduction in whole or in part, without prior consent, is not permitted.
4 exploredrinks.com
exploredrinks.com Hip Media was the winner of Small Publisher of the Year at the Publishers Australia Awards of 2010
F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N O R T O P L A C E A N D O R D E R , P L E A S E C A L L YO U R ASAHI PREMIUM BEVERAGES REPRESENTATIVE OR CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 1800 090 378
10 exploredrinks.com
VISIT
WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN:
JAPANESE SAKE Japan’s ancient world of sake is a new discovery for international drinkers. Understand a nation’s history, landscape, culture, traditions and cuisine in an iconic tipple. WORDS HANNAH SPARKS
It’s seven in the morning and I can only feel about two of my toes. I’ve been standing here for the last 15 minutes watching two young men stare up at a large, metal, industrial humming machine (sadly, there’s not much sexy about it). We’re all waiting for something, partially for the hangover from last night’s sake indulgence to dissipate… A worker shouts out. I flick on my camera. The machine grows louder, but alas, still nothing. I’m beginning to realise that everything moves very s-l-o-w-l-y around here. I stifle a yawn and wriggle my toes one last time even though I know I’ve lost the battle. I have no idea how much longer this will take. Yet, despite all this, I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I’m located on Japan’s southern island of Shikoku, on the coastal, mountainous, somewhat rural prefecture of Kochi. I was warned about this place before I arrived – something about the locals being big drinkers. Beer and sake are consumed like water here, is what I recall hearing. And after last night’s activities, I would second that. There are a few tourist attractions in the prefecture; several popular onsens (hot
springs), nice rivers, castles, markets and it’s here that the famous Japanese Tosa washi paper is made. But what it’s really known for is sake. I’m sure it’s not top of most people’s lists to watch rice being steamed at 7 am. Heck, it wouldn’t even be top of mine normally. But after all, I’m here to learn about sake. And rice is the mother of sake. So that’s where I am, inside Tsukasabotan Brewing Co.’s facilities, waiting for the first batch of freshly steamed rice to be processed. Once it’s been processed, it will be carried by the brewery workers to the koji room everyone’s favourite place to be in winter. For the koji to grow (a mould that converts the starch in the rice to sugar, used later for fermentation), it needs warm temperatures and high humidity. That’s quite the contrast to the temperature inside the brewery right now, which matches the minus degrees outside. Let’s just stay in there all day, shall we? Sake has always been made in winter. As per tradition (which there are many of in Japan and sake production), the season is marked
with the hanging of a ball of green cedar leaves in front of each brewery - usually in late October. By the time the leaves have turned brown (towards the end of March), the season has ended, and locals know this as a sign that the first press of sake is ready to drink. It may seem odd to pick the coldest season, but there is a rationale behind the decision, with a cooler climate helping the brewery workers or kurapitos to have better control over fermentation and natural airborne yeasts. Yeast is a bit of a buzz word in sake. While it wouldn’t be a hot topic of interest for most of us, it makes sense why it does to brewers, particularly when you know that this little ingredient plays the biggest part in the aroma and flavour of sake. I was told before going on this trip that if I asked a sake brewer which yeast they used they’d be impressed. Boy was that person right. With hundreds of strains to choose from, brewers will be proud to tell you about their yeast. Where I am, in Kochi, there is a scientist - dubbed the “mad scientist” by local sake makers (it turns out he was rather mad, but that’s not for publication) - dedicated to
exploredrinks.com 11
20 exploredrinks.com
VISIT
AUTUMN HIDEAWAYS
AT OSAKA TRADING CO. Tucked into the centre of Tramsheds, Sydney’s new hospitality hub - home to 12 eclectic restaurants and bars - is Osaka Trading Co.; a hole-in-the-wall-style eatery, capturing the cosy feel and ambience of a classic Japanese izakaya. PHOTOGRAPHY RYAN STUART
exploredrinks.com 21
Poke rice bowl (assorted sashimi, salad, edamame beans and rice)
24 exploredrinks.com
VISIT
Try a menu of three warming ramens among other delights all day on Monday and for lunch from Tuesday to Saturday. The Ramen Project was designed for those looking for a cheap and simple meal, and has been pulling in residents and business workers since it launched. We recommend no. 2 – the tantanmen ramen, but if spice isn’t your thing try no.1, or pick the vegan or vegetarian option with no.3. We also tried the poke rice bowl, edamame, gyoza and karaage chicken with smiles on our faces.
Ramen no.2 (tantanmen, roasted sesame and chilli tare, pork mince and bok choy)
If you have time, check out Osaka’s sister venue, Tokyo Bird in Surry Hills. The speciality there is yakitori (grilled skewers) and morsel snacks, alongside whisky, beer, sake and cocktails. It’s the perfect place to grab a light snack and couple of drinks after work or before heading out.
Tramsheds, 1 Dalgal Way Forest Lodge, NSW 2037 T: 02 8880 0717 W: www.osakatrading.com.au Opening hours: Lunch: Mon-Sun 12.00pm-3.00pm Dinner: Mon-Sun 6.00pm-late
Ramen no.3 (hiyashi chuka chilled ramen with pork belly, onsen egg, veggies and soy mustard dressing)
exploredrinks.com 25
Autumn SEASONAL SIPS Just like Japanese food, Japanese cocktails also follow the seasons, using the best quality ingredients for the time of year. As part of our special Japanese issue, we bring you ten cocktails featuring sake, umeshu liqueur and whiskey, as well as authentic flavours such as yuzu and shiso leaf. You should be able to find all of these ingredients at your local Japanese supermarket. Kampai (cheers)! RECIPES BEN DAVIDSON PHOTOGRAPHY RYAN STUART GLASSWARE SPIEGELAU PERFECT SERVE COLLECTION
SAKE PLUM SPRITZ GLASS: Tall glass INGREDIENTS: 90ml Dewazakura Saku Sparkling Junmai sake 45ml Umeshu plum wine 30ml Pink grapefruit juice 30ml Soda water METHOD: Add to a tall glass and fill with ice GARNISH: Sliced plum and grapefruit
28 exploredrinks.com
DRINKS YUZU & CHAMOMILE COLLINS GLASS: Tall glass INGREDIENTS: 45ml Gin 20ml MONIN Yuzu Fruit Puree 60ml Chilled chamomile tea 20ml Fresh lemon juice 60ml Soda water METHOD: Add to a tall glass and fill with ice GARNISH: Chamomile flower
JAPANESE SLIPPER 2.0 GLASS: Coupette glass INGREDIENTS: 30ml Shochu 30ml Sake 15ml Midori 30ml Yuzu juice METHOD: Shake with ice and strain into a coupette glass GARNISH: Origami paper crane
CHERRY BLOSSOM SIDECAR GLASS: Coupette glass INGREDIENTS: 30ml Martell VSOP Cognac 20ml Lillet Rosé Aperitif 10ml Elderflower cordial 20ml Fresh lemon juice 30ml Cherry juice 2 x Drops of orange blossom water METHOD: Shake with ice and strain into a coupette glass GARNISH: Morello pitted cherries on a cocktail stick and small white flower
exploredrinks.com 29
OSAKA TRADING CO. G&T GLASS: Tall glass INGREDIENTS: 30ml Gin 20ml Amanoto Junmai Ginjo Sake 20ml Fresh lime juice 20ml Homemade shiso syrup 60ml Tonic water METHOD: Add to a tall glass and fill with ice. Stir GARNISH: Shiso leaf
30 exploredrinks.com
DRINKS
FALLING WATER GLASS: Tall glass INGREDIENTS: 60ml Tengumai Yamahai Jikomi Junmai sake 90ml Coconut water 5ml Fresh lime juice 10ml MONIN Coconut Syrup METHOD: Add to a tall glass, fill with ice and stir GARNISH: Dried lime wheel
exploredrinks.com 31
MANDARIN & HONEY HI-BALL GLASS: Tall glass INGREDIENTS: 40ml Suntory The Chita Single Grain Whisky 20ml Mandarine Napoleon Liqueur 45ml Fresh orange juice 10ml Honey water (50:50) 90ml Soda water METHOD: Add to a tall glass and fill with ice GARNISH: Dried orange wheel
32 exploredrinks.com
DRINKS
APPLE & SENCHA SAKE BOMB GLASS: Small rocks glass INGREDIENTS: 30ml Mars Iwai Tradition Japanese Whisky 60ml Houraisen Beshi Tokubetsu Junmai sake 60ml Chilled sencha tea 10ml MONIN Green Apple Syrup METHOD: Stir with ice and strain over an ice ball in a small rocks glass GARNISH: Granny Smith apple fan
exploredrinks.com 33
WASABI & GINGER MARTINI GLASS: Martini glass INGREDIENTS: 45ml London Dry Gin 15ml Lillet Blanc Aperitif 10ml MONIN Ginger Syrup ½ tsp Wasabi paste METHOD: Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass GARNISH: Slice of ginger root
34 exploredrinks.com
DRINKS
JAPANESE PUMPKIN SMASH GLASS: Large rocks glass INGREDIENTS: 30ml Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 30ml Gin 30ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml MONIN Pumpkin Spice Syrup 2 x Shiso leaf METHOD: Shake with ice and strain over ice in a large rocks glass GARNISH: Shiso leaf and lemon slice
exploredrinks.com 35
ENTERTAINING MEET
: E M Â N I N O M SYRUPS WITH SOUL
100 years, etches back more than str at th e on is ry sto N The MONI . ree generations of men th of n tio ina rm te de e and tells of th Olivier Monin, current president Despite now proudly positioned as one of the leading producers of syrups in the world, MONIN started from humble beginnings.
After years of trial and error, Georges finally created a syrup that met his standards, marking the turning point for the MONIN brand.
“It all started in the horse and carriage days of 1912 with my grandfather, Georges Monin, distributing local spirits, Armagnac and Cognac out of his cart,” relays Olivier Monin, current president of MONIN Inc. and grandson of Georges.
It was Georges’ son, Paul, that steered the company towards syrups when he took over in 1945 and it is the third generation president, Olivier Monin, that has made the MONIN name known across the globe.
And so the business continued in this modest manner until the late 1920s/early 1930s when, as the story goes, Georges hosted an intimate dinner party for his family. When Georges’ brother-in-law asked for an after-dinner drink, the obliging host grabbed his best cordial. However, when Georges poured the liquid, he found it dull and lacking in flavour and aroma. He moved on to each of the other cordials behind his bar and was afforded the same disappointing result.
Olivier is proud of the growth he has seen since he first took the reins in 1993.
This inspired in Georges a desire to create a cordial that tasted of vibrant fruit and could be used to flavour anything, from cocktails, to coffee and even water.
“We now distribute our syrups in 150 countries, and we have roughly 150 flavours. This is because we’re trying to grow and develop new products that appeal to each of our customers.” Indeed, MONIN is serious about meeting the needs of each of its markets. So much so, that they appoint a beverage innovation director in each region - a resident trained bartender whose job it is to liaise with MONIN about the local customs and flavours to help develop new syrups and recipes.
It’s in listening to its health conscious consumers that MONIN has moved to release its first sugarfree prototypes in the American market by the end of the year/start of 2019. This is a big move for the sugar syrup brand, which prides itself on its dedication to producing 100% natural syrups. “We’re thrilled to launch this interesting range, which is not only 100% natural, but with no sugar and no sugary taste. There is another twist that will make it very unique, but I can’t reveal too much.” So, does the current Mr Monin himself have a favourite flavour of these innovative syrups? “I think almost every week it changes. Right now, my favourite is the Yuzu Fruit Puree. I’m also excited about the release of our new Saffron and Peppercorn Syrups, which are on the cards for 2018.”
exploredrinks.com 37
HILLBILLY CIDER
ERE H TS R A ST ’ N O TI A C FI LI IL LB IL YOUR ‘H
Living the ‘hillbilly lifestyle’ in Bilpin, the heart of NSW’s Blue Mountains, surrounded by apple trees, was Shane and Tessa’s inspiration for creating this local favourite cider. With 20 years of wine and cider making under his belt, Shane adapted techniques from time spent in cider regions around the world, including Normandy, Hereford and Somerset. He blends classic Aussie apples as well as heritage cider apples, which are reflected in the brand’s different styles. This range of styles has resulted in the numerous awards Hillbilly has won every year since launching, including ‘Best in Class’ three times in the Australian Cider Awards and the highest scoring Aussie cider in the UK’s International Cider Awards in 2015, taking away a silver medal. Shane’s approach is to keep it simple – using 100% apples with no artificial flavours or added sugar. The range includes the Scrumpy
40 exploredrinks.com
cider, made from heritage cider apples; an oakaged Vintage cider and the Sweet Julie cider, which is the only cider in the world made from the Julie apple. The apple and pear ciders are mainly fermented cold in stainless steel tanks to retain the natural CO2, which in turn creates a natural bead leading to a Champagne-style mouthfeel.
Visitors are able to pick Julie apples when in season. This chance seedling apple is the first one found in the Sydney and Blue Mountains area since the Granny Smith apple was discovered in the same way 100 years ago. Plant breeder rights have been granted to orchardists Bill and Julie Shields, who discovered the apple growing on their property.
The Hillbilly ciders are available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide on a limited basis, and more widely in their local area of the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury.
Getting back to that theme of living a simple hillbilly life, Shane and Tess can be regularly spotted out and about in the mountains in their ex-military Land Rover truck, delivering Hillbilly Cider to their loyal following.
For those wanting to get their ‘hillbillification’ started, a trip to the Hillbilly Cider Shed in Bilpin gives you a chance to try the ciders straight out of the barrel. In addition, Shane produces small batch ciders only available on site.
“It’s meant to be camouflaged, but everybody seems to notice it,” laughs Shane.
TASTING NOTES HILLBILLY APPLE CIDER APPEARANCE: Naturally carbonated, which gives a beautiful creamy bead AROMA: You can smell the apple orchard in your glass FLAVOUR: Made from 100% whole crushed mountain apples, it has a wellrounded taste and a crisp, refreshing finish
HILLBILLY CRUSHED PEAR CIDER
DRINKS
HILLBILLY VINTAGE CIDER APPEARANCE: A small smooth creamy bead, not unlike Champagne AROMA: Fully ripened apples with a whiff of French oak FLAVOUR: This cider is double fermented in French oak to create an exciting limited release. The palate is dry with hints of crème caramel
APPEARANCE: Vibrant pale gold AROMA: Hints of ripe pear FLAVOUR: Australian Cider Awards Best in Class 2016 and 2014. Rich and indulgent flavours dance around the palate
SCRUMPY CIDER APPEARANCE: Cloudy – awaken this cider by gently rolling the bottle before opening AROMA: A little funk from the heritage apples FLAVOUR: Inspired by a Somerset scrumpy cider, it’s packed full of apple-y flavour.
NON-ALCOHOLIC APPLE CIDER APPEARANCE: Lightly golden
SWEET JULIE CIDER
AROMA: Delicious apple aromas
APPEARANCE: Golden
FLAVOUR: Scrumptious apple flavours in an alcoholic-free cider! There’s no added sugar and its gluten free.
AROMA: Lovely sweet florals FLAVOUR: Australian Cider Awards Best in Class 2016. The only cider in the world using the Julie apple, grown in Bilpin, NSW. It’s sweet with vibrant red apple flavours
exploredrinks.com 41
R E D I C S ’ K N A FR
Frank’s story is one of six generations of growing apples and pears in Tasmania. Born in 1894, Frank was the third generation of the Clark Family to tend the orchards at Woodside, Franklin in Tasmania’s scenic Huon Valley. His grandfather was the first permanent white settler in the area, clearing the land in the 1830s. Following this, the initial apple and pear trees were planted in 1838, with commercial plantings taking place in the 1850s. Frank lived at Woodside all his life, clearing the bush and planting more orchards. He used pit saws for felling gums and horses for working the orchard, with the first tractor purchased in 1952. The trees flourished in the rich soil on the banks of the Huon River. An old recipe found by the family proves he also enjoyed a home brewed cider at the end of the day. Almost 100 years after Frank’s time, his granddaughter Naomie Clark-Port and her husband Tony Port established the Franklin Cider Co. and began creating cider, which they named after Frank! Frank’s multi-award winning ciders are proudly made from 100% Tasmanian fruit. Naomie and Tony believe that “If it doesn’t grow in Tasmania, it doesn’t go into our cider!” This includes cane sugar, so Frank’s ciders are proudly both sugar and gluten-free. Only
42 exploredrinks.com
Woodside juice is used in the blend to create a medium-level sweetness after fermentation. As the growers of the high-quality fruit that is the basis of Frank’s Ciders, their philosophy is to maximise fruit complexity, sweetness and flavour by tree ripening. The apples and pears that go into Frank’s Ciders are tree-ripened for maximum quality and flavour, with some even harvested from trees that Frank planted over 100 years ago. The main apple variety used is the old-fashioned Golden Delicious, which has crisp, sweet flesh and is one of the juiciest there is. Heritage apple types – such as Cox’s Orange Pippin – are also added to the blend. The pears grown at Woodside are traditional varieties with high tannin content. They produce a pear cider with great complexity.
Once the fruit is harvested, the team at Winemaking Tasmania creates Frank’s ciders. Their role is to assist boutique producers who do not have their own facilities. Working closely with expert cider makers, Naomie and Tony believe that their role is to grow the best quality fruit. They maintain, “It’s best to let the experts guide us on the finer points of fermentation and blending.” The Frank’s range includes both tank fermented and barrel aged ciders. Each one is sparkling, medium-sweet and bursting with natural fruit flavour. Clarity through high filtration and minimal preservative levels are also a feature. This is REAL CIDER, with no pasteurisation and not one drop of concentrate!
DRINKS
TASTING NOTES
FRANK’S SUMMER PEAR CIDER APPEARANCE: Straw coloured, clear and sparkling
FRANK’S SUMMER APPLE CIDER
AROMA: ‘Just picked’ pear with hints of tropical fruit
APPEARANCE: Light golden, clear and sparkling
FLAVOUR: A deliciously crisp and refreshing semi-sweet perry
AROMA: Fresh apple and cinnamon FLAVOUR: A fruity blend of tree ripened Golden Delicious apples with spice overtones
FRANK’S CHERRY/ PEAR CIDER APPEARANCE: Deep cherry red AROMA: A fusion of ripe cherry with a hint of pear FLAVOUR: The subtle flavours of real cherries and pears combine to produce a sparkling, mediumsweet temptation that is perfectly balanced and delicious
exploredrinks.com 43
THIS IS NO FAD:
Discover Kombucha THE ANCIENT FERMENTED TONIC
Once the elixir of hippies and health nuts, kombucha has been thrust into the limelight of the mainstream in recent years. The fermented tea drink is fast surpassing soft drink sales, with the kombucha market poised to grow by 25% each year through to 2020. But where did this functional beverage come from and why is it so popular nowadays? explore DRINKS looks at the origins of kombucha, how it’s made, and breaks down its supposed health benefits.
64 exploredrinks.com
TRENDS
As alcohol cannot be sold in supermarkets or other unlicensed premises in Australia, the same rule applies.
Although skeptics tout kombucha as the latest lifestyle fad, the beverage actually has its roots in ancient China, with evidence suggesting locals were drinking the substance 2,200 years ago to detoxify the system and increase energy levels. With the expansion of trade routes across Tibet and up into Russia, tales of the legendary ‘tea of immortality’ spread and kombucha soon found its way to Western Europe. The 1960s saw the first spike in Western kombucha sales, as a Swiss study claimed that the drink was beneficial for gut health. It seems these believed benefits particularly strike a chord with today’s consumers, passionate about current health and sustainability trends. But do the facts really stack up? Kombucha is made from a mixture of strongly brewed tea, water and sugar that is exposed to a symbiotic culture of acetic acid (vinegar), bacteria and yeast, referred to as ‘the scoby’. After the culture is added, the mixture is left at room temperature for three to four weeks while the scoby eats away at the sugar and caffeine and converts the polyphenols - found in tea, fruits and vegetables - into organic compounds. The final result? A lightly sparkling, living, probiotic-rich beverage that has a pleasantly fruity and slightly acidic flavour, with a mild vinegary aftertaste. It’s well known that probiotics are great for the immune system and overall gut health, so it’s not a far stretch to deduce that the microorganisms kombucha imparts to the body probably do help the system. A wealth of anecdotal evidence agrees, with many consumers reporting increased energy and a clarity of mind.
There have been a number of ‘lab bench’ studies on kombucha, which suggest the drink may have antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties; could potentially be used for liver detoxification; and to treat high cholesterol and gastric ulcers. It’s early days on these findings, however, as these lab bench studies only use isolated cells and animals for testing, which means the results do not necessarily translate to humans. Although we can only say that some health benefits from kombucha are likely, it is certainly true that in comparison to other beverages, kombucha has a relatively low environmental footprint. The drink is almost always bottled in glass and it is commonly flavoured with compostable raw materials such as fruits, flowers, herbs and spices. Even the scoby is able to be composted and can be shared between producers. Kombucha can come in an array of styles to suit different tastes, including the delicate ‘jun’ kombucha brewed with green tea and honey. Nearly all styles are left unpasteurised as most producers agree that avoiding pasteurisation gives better results. Wait a second though, if kombucha is fermented, does that mean it’s alcoholic? Well yes and no. Trace amounts of alcohol are produced during the fermentation process, but national and US standards dictate that this alcohol level cannot be above 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume). This all came about after US healthfood supermarket Whole Foods issued a total recall of kombucha products in 2010 when many were found with levels of alcohol over 0.5%. To sell as supermarket kombucha now, brands must implement alcohol minimisation processes to ensure that the ABV stays below the 0.5% requirement.
As a fermented product, this process (fermentation) can continue inside the kombucha even once bottled, and especially if not stored in the fridge. In order to ensure this continued fermentation doesn’t result in high alcohol levels, de-alcoholisation processes are performed at the time of brewing. However, in the US, many diehard kombucha fans from before the time of regulation believe that these processes reduce the health benefits of the drink and can negatively impact the flavour. This has given rise to the creation of kombucha beer, a low-alcoholic beverage marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional beers with its lower calorie count and glutenfree properties. Kombucha beer is generally created by letting the unpasteurised mixture sit, bottled for more than two weeks after the initial fermentation process, to contain any released CO2, encouraging carbonation and promoting fermentation (AKA a higher alcohol content). With the exponential growth in sales of the non-alcoholic version here in Australia, it may not be long until we see a few kombucha beers of our own hitting the market. In the end, the fact that kombucha is incredibly popular today - thousands of years after it was first created - really does speak volumes. A relatively healthy, environmentallyfriendly, flavoursome and diverse drink, there are no signs that this trajectory of growth is slowing down. Rather, it may be that we’re still lapping up this fermented favourite for a further 2,200 years. Read on as we speak to two leading, local kombucha brands about how they got started, their company ethos, and what makes them unique.
exploredrinks.com 65
@belandbrio
@jess.xv.v
@harvestnewrybar
@happyaslarrypizzatruck
@v_lounge2166
@EXPLOREDRINKS We’re always encouraging our readers to get out there and explore the wide world of drinks. Share your adventures with us by tagging @exploredrinks and we’ll publish our favourites each issue.
@anitastopeating
@spiegelauaus
@2hungryguys
@thewickham
@espressowarriors
@thejugernauts
@bakersmithprojects
@shelleysgoodeats
@theyumlist
@jess.xv.v
@theport_darlingharbour
@melbournewonderwalls
@2hungryguys @thesfbaelife
@luluwhitedrinkingclub
@grandtrailerpark
34
TIP #
DON’T STARE INTO YOUR PHONE. STARE INTO YOUR OLD FASHIONED. IT’S WAY MORE MYSTERIOUS.
The Perfect Single Old Fashioned Glass
We can all be a little classier. Dress better. Drink better. Raise the bar. So we asked the world’s leading barman to create the perfect cocktail glasses. Ladies and gentlemen, we present the Perfect Serve Collection. You’re welcome. spiegelau.com.au/perfectserve
Spiegelau_RaiseTheBar_Print Ads x8.indd 2
18/11/2016 12:18 PM